National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

Profile picture of NFOIC
Website
https://nfoic.org

Posts by NFOIC

Transparency committee: N.Y. Senate cellphone ban violates Open Meetings Law

Posted on

The executive director of the state Committee on Open Government really took to heart Sen. Brad Hoylman’s Friday request for an “expedited” advisory opinion on the question of whether or not the state Senate’s new rule barring the use of cellphones as audio, video or photographic recording devices within the chamber and its public galleries without the permission of the Senate secretary violates the state’s Open Meeting Law.

[…]

Read More… from Transparency committee: N.Y. Senate cellphone ban violates Open Meetings Law

Oregon Gov. Brown owes public more transparency in ethics issues

Posted on

Two of Gov. Kate Brown’s top staffers stepped down last week following news reports that employment they held outside of her office could compromise their work for the government.

The governor’s spokespeople argued the assertions were baseless as the story played out. And since the resignations were confirmed, they haven’t acknowledged what might have been learned. What’s so dismaying is how familiar it feels.

[…]

Read More… from Oregon Gov. Brown owes public more transparency in ethics issues

South Dakota Attorney General: Make mug shots public record

Posted on

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley last week announced a list of measures he is asking the Legislature to pass this session. While all are important, there was one that stood out to us: making criminal booking photographs part of the public record.

You know them as “mug shots.”

Whenever anybody is arrested for a crime, law enforcement agencies take a photograph of the accused.

[…]

Read More… from South Dakota Attorney General: Make mug shots public record

Oklahoma Joe: Government transparency must improve

Posted on

This has nothing to do with whether Oklahoma Rep. Dan Kirby is innocent of sexual harassment, as he claims. This has nothing to do with whether University of Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon deserves a second chance after a video showed him punching a woman who had slapped him.

This has everything to do with our right to know what transpires in a public setting or how our taxpayer dollars are being spent.

[…]

Read More… from Oklahoma Joe: Government transparency must improve

South Portland Police Department releases its body camera policy

Posted on

The South Portland Police Department has released the document that spells out its officers should use the body cameras that they will begin wearing in a few weeks.

The department posted the policy on its Facebook page following calls from civil liberties advocates for assurance the the cameras will not be used to invade people’s privacy. The policy was not initially released when the department announced that it would begin using the technology. The ACLU of Maine filed a public records request for the document, according Legal Director Zach Heiden.

[…]

Read More… from South Portland Police Department releases its body camera policy

FOIA legislation to be revisited by South Carolina lawmakers

Posted on

South Carolina legislators this session will again attempt to pass legislation aimed at reforming the state’s Freedom of Information Act, which regulates public meetings and the release of public records. S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, and S.C. Rep. Weston Newton, R-Beaufort, pre-filed a FOIA bill in the House, and Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Charleston, has filed a similar Senate bill.

[…]

Read More… from FOIA legislation to be revisited by South Carolina lawmakers

San Diego Pushes for Further Transparency with New Open Records Portal

Posted on

The city of San Diego used to have a performance measure for its handling of public records requests.The Human Resources Department, which processes such inquiries, listed “percent of public records act requests completed within mandated timeline” as a key performance indicator in city budgets. In 2013, about 75 percent were completed in the required 10 days. The measure increased to 84 percent in 2014 and 85 percent in 2015.

[…]

Read More… from San Diego Pushes for Further Transparency with New Open Records Portal

Troy (MI) resident seeks records after city manager scrutiny

Posted on

Frustrated at being stonewalled on getting records on the activities of Troy’s city manager, a city resident has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the city. Ann Erickson Gault wants disclosure of public documents she requested regarding City Manager Brian Kischnick. The lawsuit, which was assigned to Oakland Circuit Judge Nanci Grant, not only seeks the requested documents about his city-owned vehicle and other matters but also the awarding of to-be-determined damages, including attorney fees, for allegedly violating the state’s open records law.

[…]

Read More… from Troy (MI) resident seeks records after city manager scrutiny